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One of the next big megaplans the provincial government is contemplating is tunneling a subway under Vancouver`s west side, stretching from near City Hall to the University of British Columbia. It`s a bold, forward-looking idea that will cost $3 billion.
But it`s also an idea far too ahead of its time.
The government — and its public transit agency, TransLink — needs to be looking in the other direction when it comes to public transit. The next major infusion of public transit money needs to be directed toward the outskirts of Metro Vancouver, where a population boom is underway that will transform the city.
But first, let`s get back to that $3-billion tunnel through Vancouver`s west side to the University of British Columbia.
It`s hard not to like a pipe dream like this. In theory it will take thousands of cars off the roads, we`d get rid of the crowding on buses and perhaps stimulate higher-density condo building. It will supposedly help reduce our carbon footprint.
Here`s a little-heard reality check, though.
Aside from the occasionally stop-and-go traffic on Broadway between Cambie and Granville streets, there are no real traffic jams out to the university. Vancouver`s west side is a slow-growth area when compared to the other areas of Metro Vancouver.
A subway to UBC is also a questionable economic deal.
Let`s suppose 100,000 people would use that $3-billion rail line — a ridership figure far, far in the future. If it was financed at five per cent a year for 30 years, the actual construction cost to the taxpayer would be $5.8 billion.
That means about $58,000 per rider. Put another way, those 100,000 riders would have to ride the rails every day, seven days a week, for $5 apiece, for more than 30 years to pay down the investment. And that wouldn`t even begin to pay for the system`s operating costs.
But aside from the humongous bill, it`s the population growth statistics that don`t support this megaproject.
Read the full article here.
But it`s also an idea far too ahead of its time.
The government — and its public transit agency, TransLink — needs to be looking in the other direction when it comes to public transit. The next major infusion of public transit money needs to be directed toward the outskirts of Metro Vancouver, where a population boom is underway that will transform the city.
But first, let`s get back to that $3-billion tunnel through Vancouver`s west side to the University of British Columbia.
It`s hard not to like a pipe dream like this. In theory it will take thousands of cars off the roads, we`d get rid of the crowding on buses and perhaps stimulate higher-density condo building. It will supposedly help reduce our carbon footprint.
Here`s a little-heard reality check, though.
Aside from the occasionally stop-and-go traffic on Broadway between Cambie and Granville streets, there are no real traffic jams out to the university. Vancouver`s west side is a slow-growth area when compared to the other areas of Metro Vancouver.
A subway to UBC is also a questionable economic deal.
Let`s suppose 100,000 people would use that $3-billion rail line — a ridership figure far, far in the future. If it was financed at five per cent a year for 30 years, the actual construction cost to the taxpayer would be $5.8 billion.
That means about $58,000 per rider. Put another way, those 100,000 riders would have to ride the rails every day, seven days a week, for $5 apiece, for more than 30 years to pay down the investment. And that wouldn`t even begin to pay for the system`s operating costs.
But aside from the humongous bill, it`s the population growth statistics that don`t support this megaproject.
Read the full article here.